Buffalo Cauliflower Sliders with Slaw + Blue Cheese

And just like that it’s fall. Everything gets showered with golden light (including these cauliflower buns). I found this little poem and thought it summed up all my feels for the changing season:

September Tomatoes
by Karina Borowicz

The whiskey stink of rot has settled
in the garden, and a burst of fruit flies rises
when I touch the dying tomato plants.

Still, the claws of tiny yellow blossoms
flail in the air as I pull the vines up by the roots
and toss them in the compost.

It feels cruel. Something in me isn’t ready
to let go of summer so easily. To destroy
what I’ve carefully cultivated all these months.
Those pale flowers might still have time to fruit.

My great-grandmother sang with the girls of her village
as they pulled the flax. Songs so old
and so tied to the season that the very sound
seemed to turn the weather.

These cauliflower sliders are inspired by my one of my favorite charlotte area food trucks. They catered our sweltering company picnic this summer, which already feels like ages ago. I’ve made this (super savory satisfying) sandwich several times now, sometimes swapping the bread for a big pile of greens.

Ingredients for the Buffalo Cauliflower

1/2 head of cauliflower

1/4 cup hot sauce

3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons tamari

2 teaspoons liquid smoke

Ingredients for the Creamy Cabbage Slaw

1/2 a small head of cabbage, shredded (about 3 cups worth)

1/2 a small red onion, thinly sliced

1 carrot, shredded

1/4 cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons mayonaise

squeeze or spoon of honey

pinch of pepper flakes or a bit of hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste

Directions

Wash, dry and slice the cauliflower. In a saucepan or in the microwave melt the butter together with the rest of the ingredients. Toss mixture together with the sliced cauliflower to coat. Bake in preheated oven at 400F for 15 minutes or until golden brown. While the cauliflower roasts make the slaw. Shred the veggies and mix together the ingredients for the dressing. Assemble sliders with nuggets of cauliflower, slaw and blue cheese.